This is the horrifying moment a man carrying dozens of losing lottery tickets set himself alight at a Buddhist temple las Thursday (11 Oct)

Peerapong jirakunarat, 52, walked into the grounds of the religious building in Pattaya, Thailand, before ambling over to the crematorium building at 5am.

He was seen on CCTV carrying a large tank full of petrol. After briefly walking out of view of a CCTV camera, the Thai local set himself alight - filling the area with a huge flash of light from the fireball.

Shocked monks rushed out and saw the man's body engulfed in flames. Fire crews arrived and found Peerapong still covered in flames slumped against the wall of the Buddhist crematorium.

Officers extinguished the flames before recovering dozens of charred lottery tickets and bank documents from his pockets.

Head monk Sanan Khuttawanyo, 73, said: ''I woke up and was preparing to go to alms when I noticed the smoke was rising from the crematorium. I went to check.

''The fire was burning so I quickly called the police. The temple is locked every night and people are prohibited from coming inside. There was nothing unusual last night or when I woke up this morning.''

Police identified the man from bank documents showing debts which he had kept in his pocket and survived the inferno. He was wearing black trousers, a white shirt and black shoes.

Police Liuetnenat Colonel Romran Sri-kaipat from the Nong Prue Police Station is now investigating the suicide at the Wat Sutthawat temple.